Bachelor of Baking & Pastry Arts: Management Degree Overview

A bachelor's program in baking and pastry arts management helps students develop culinary skills. The program also focuses on advanced techniques and topics pertinent to running a business, such as personnel management, marketing and finance.

Essential Information

Prospective students must have a high school diploma or a GED certificate to enroll in a bachelor's degree program. An associate's degree in pastry arts or a related field may be required. Before graduating from the four-year program, students have to complete an internship or externship at a restaurant or bakery. Some schools offer study abroad opportunities.

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Bachelor of Baking and Pastry Arts Management

Students in a bachelor's degree program in baking and pastry arts management program typically divide their time between the kitchen and the classroom. They learn the craft of creating high quality desserts, and gain knowledge about how to manage people and resources in a business operation. Optional culinary credentials can be earned following graduation. Common course topics may include:

Mathematics for cooks

Bread making, cakes and chocolate techniques

Personnel management in the food service industry

Accounting

Restaurant marketing

Safety and sanitation

Popular Career Options

Upon completion of this degree program, graduates qualify for management or leadership positions within a bakery or culinary establishment. They're also qualified to work in recipe development for a food manufacturer, or prepared to start their own pastry business. Possible job titles for graduates include:

Bakery manager

Pastry chef

Dessert caterer

Bakery owner

Pastry department manager

Employment Outlook and Salary Information

Career outlook information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) determined that for the 2014 to 2024 period, food service managers were to see a 5% rise in job opportunities, while chefs and head cooks were projected to have a 9% increase in jobs, and the employment rate for bakers will grow 7%. In 2015, food service managers brought home a median annual salary of $48,690, chefs and head cooks had a median salary of $41,500, and bakers earned $24,170, according to the BLS.

Professional Certification and Continuing Education

After completing a degree program, graduates may earn voluntary industry certification, such as those offered by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The ACF offers certification to pastry chefs at four levels, including one for executive pastry chefs. Only chefs with at least three years of experience in charge of a pastry operation may apply. Additionally, applicants must have supervised a minimum of three employees and completed at least 150 hours of continuing education.

The certification process consists of a written test with 100 multiple-choice questions and a practical exam. The ACF offers a variety of online continuing education courses, including a course in personnel development and another in gluten-free cooking. Other ACF courses help chefs meet certification requirements.

Along with traditional culinary courses, graduates of a bachelor's degree program in baking and pastry arts management will have completed business courses, as well as an internship or externship at a restaurant or bakery. Professional certification is voluntary, but can demonstrate expertise in the field.